This photo, taken by Roger Cotton Photography moments after I'd finished the 2012 edition of the Outdoors, Inc., Canoe and Kayak Race, says it all in terms of what the conditions were like that day.
It was blazing hot--the high for the day was around 95 degrees Fahrenheit. And the Mississippi River was flowing at the lowest race-day level ever (1.7 feet below zero on the Memphis gauge), making the course slower and longer than usual. And the field was deep, demanding my best effort for a respectable finish. The result was an exhausted but generally satisfied paddler once the race was over. You can go back here to read my report on that race. There's also this You Tube video in which Greg Barton talks about the race and the low water.
The OICK race is now in its 38th year, scheduled to take place June 1--that's just two weeks from this Saturday. I don't know what the weather will be like but I can assure you the Mississippi will not be as low as it was in 2012. All canoe and kayak racers are invited to register here and come on down to the Memphis riverfront to partake in this classic event.
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